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SEVENTEEN Expresses Gratitude with Emotional EDM Track 'Thanks'

Saturday, February 10, 2018

SEVENTEEN proves time and time again that they are a force to be reckoned with. On February 5, the group returned with special album Director's Cut, which contains four new songs, including the title track "Thanks", written by the group's main composing member Woozi and singer-producer Bumzu.

Differently from the group's earlier releases, "Thanks" is solely about their fans to the fans, an expression of humble gratitude that the members feel towards their faithful CARAT fandom. The song is not merely a sweet gesture, but one that has been produced and executed with obvious dedication. It's a very enjoyable piece of music.

The emotional impact of "Thanks" relies heavily on the group's vocalists, whose beautiful singing adds emotion to every line, making the listener truly believe in the song's message. The members' voices don't blend together and rather remain distinctly recognizable, giving each of them a chance to be heard. Nevertheless, the overall sound is cohesive and not at all disjointed, which is something that this 13-member group has always been rather good at. The centrepiece of "Thanks" is of course the build up to the explosive chorus, which is achieved through a great combination of the members' vocal performance and an addictive EDM melody that brings the whole song together into one cathartic experience.

These typical words

I’m only saying them now

But I hope these typical words will reach you

The lyrics of "Thanks" are jointly written by Bumzu, Woozi and Hoshi. Since the song carries an important message to the fans, the lyrics are quite noteworthy themselves. The main theme is of course gratitude, but there's a big emphasis on the idea that even if saying thanks seems like it's become overused to the point of becoming ordinary, the members still want the fans to know it comes from an honest place. The lyrics also express regret for not saying something so important earlier out of worry that it wouldn't be enough. However, the very fact that the lyrics reflect on thankfulness from several different viewpoints shows that there is a genuine sentiment behind it.

At first, it may seem that the music video is tonally quite reminiscent of SEVENTEEN's last year's May release "Don't Wanna Cry", though thematically it actually seems to continue the main concept of "Clap", released back in November. Similarly to "Clap", "Thanks" shows the members' participation in the creation process, whether in the dance practise room or the recording studio, so as to further drive home the point that SEVENTEEN has been intimately involved in this special project.

The choreography, which adds the finishing touch to "Thanks", is also one of the most impressive parts of the project, apart from the song itself. It feels redundant to say that SEVENTEEN displays extraordinary teamwork in the dance, but it is nevertheless very true. With 13 members in the group, it can be hard to work out dance routines that are dynamic and interesting, without coming across messy instead. SEVENTEEN, however, always knows a way around that with beautiful contemporary moves and cool formations, once again delivering a dance that skillfully reflects the emotional message of the song.

What makes "Thanks" the perfect gift for the fans is not only the genuine sentiment behind it, but also the clear effort in every aspect of the project—from singing to choreography, from idea to execution. For occasional listeners, this may simply seem like a lucky coincidence, but fans will surely recognize the passion and hard work that's already been characteristic of SEVENTEEN's achievements thus far.